March 2008 - Supplemental Secret Ingredients

Good news! In February's column, labeling restrictions for dairy products were discussed. Several dairies were shut down because their label included statements such as "rBGH free." But, in August 2007, the FTC said, "Staff agrees with FDA that food companies may inform consumers in advertising, as in labeling, that they do not use rBGH." Hooray!

However, state laws take precedence: As of 2/1/08, dairies in PA will break the law if their products' labels state "rBGH free" or "free of artificial growth hormones" and the like. Another tidbit on dairy: Ohio's Department of Agriculture created a Dairy Labeling Advisory Committee comprised of 20 members. Six out of the seven dairy farmers on the committee treat their cows with rBGH.

Since dairy is the topic, let's talk about calcium. We recently ran out of the pure calcium supplement we take; while waiting for the order to arrive, I bought a bottle of calcium locally, first checking the label to make sure the product contained the proper type of calcium. A week later, my daughter exclaimed, "Mom, do you know what's in this calcium?" I responded that yes, it contained 600 mg. of calcium per serving. She said, "No, I mean the OTHER ingredients." I was astounded when she read the following list to me: Corn starch, Maltodextrin, Acacia, Crocar-mellose Sodium, Coating [hydroxypropyl methylcelluose, modified corn starch, polyethylene glycol, magnesium trisilicate, mica (color), titanium dioxide, dextrose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, mineral oil, sodium citrate, polysorbate 80 and dextrin], and Magnesium Stearate.

Funny how the label on the bottle contains the word "Natural" right above the word "Calcium." The back label, just below the listed ingredients, states: "No Gluten. No Added Preservatives. No Artificial Flavors."

I couldn't believe it - I'd been had, taken, duped, scammed, fooled - me, one of the most conscientious label readers on the planet. There is nothing "natural" about 99% of the ingredients and, since at least one of us is sensitive to titanium dioxide, this is not the product I want to take.

Bill Statham, author of What's In Your Food?, lists almost every mysterious chemical, additive, coloring agent, preservative

and more by category in his book. Each item is coded as to its safety for human consumption; each item contains a description of its origin (i.e., mineral oil comes from petroleum); cites potential effects (i.e., known carcinogen); lists its functions, both in food and cosmetics/body/bath products. Since new euphemisms are added to product labels regularly, even a savvy consumer will find it difficult to determine every ingredient's etiology.

Until you find this book, CHEW ON THIS: If it's on the label and you can't pronounce it - don't eat it!

"Let food be your medicine," sums up Sue Cosgrove's stance on health and wellness. She believes nutrient-dense and biologically-alive sustenance is not only nature's best prevention, but also nature's best cure for many maladies.

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